SECRET SESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 180, 31 July 1940, Page 7

SECRET SESSION.

Discussion Of Foreign Policy In House Of Commons. FEAR OF "BAD HABIT." (Received 2 p.m.) RUGBY, July 30. Both in the Parliamentary lobbies and in the Press there has i>eeu a growing opposition to secret sessions, the usefulness of which is felt to be limited, aud which might ea-sily become a "bad habit'' unless checked. The opportunity to discuss foreign policy at a secret sessiou was arranged mainly as a result of a desire for many members to go further into the questions of policy in the Far East which had been raised by the Government's announcement of the decision to temporarily restrict the traffic to China by the Burma route. It is therefore expected that the Far Eastern situation will occupy most of the debating time, and that the recent arrests of British subjects in Japan, on the pretext of suspected espionage, will make it certain that the House will ,want to examine very closely the implications of latest developments in the Far East. Members of Parliament take a very serious view of the action of the Japanese military police, and are anxiously awaiting a statement on the subject. Viscount Halifax is expected to make this in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Mr. Churchill announced that the case of Captain A. H. M. Ramsay. M.P., who is under detention, would be referred to the Committee of Privileges for examination in relation to privileges of members of the House of Commons.